tethering
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Apple turns iOS 'PC Free' with OTA updates and wireless sync
Love your iPhone, but hate all of the PC-based tethering it entails? Apple has some good news: the company is taking its "post-PC" stance a step further, letting you activate your smartphone straight out of the box without syncing it to a computer. Also big news is the addition of over-the-air updates, which will let you receive changes without plugging the handset in. And some big news for music fans: users will be able to sync their iTunes libraries over WiFi connections with the update. %Gallery-125446%
Samsung Droid Charge gets minor update to Media Hub, Verizon extends free Thunderbolt hotspot offer
Wondering why your barely-out-of-the-box Droid Charge is already getting a software update? Wonder no more, as it's merely a tweak for Samsung's Media Hub application that disables downloads over 3G. It's kind of a shame, really, as that means if you don't live in an LTE market you'll need to be tied to a WiFi hotspot to get your multimedia there, but Verizon claims it's a compromise to "ensure quality and speed." Meanwhile, Verizon's other LTE handset is getting an additional boon -- the carrier's extending its free wireless hotspot offer through June 15th for the HTC Thunderbolt, after which you can expect to pay $20 a month for the WiFi tethering privilege. Enjoy it while it lasts, folks.
Carriers crack down on Android tethering apps, rain on our mobile hotspot parade
Well everybody, it looks like the free ride is over: carriers in the US have started to seriously crack down on Android tethering apps. Head on over to the Android Market site and try to install an app that turns your smartphone into a WiFi hotspot -- there's a pretty good chance you'll be told, "this item is not available on your carrier." We checked out a number of different tethering options and they were all blocked by T-Mobile and AT&T, which isn't entirely new. Verizon has also joined the party and, while it missed at least one that we spotted, we're sure they'll all be gone in short order. Only Sprint has decided against banning such apps... for now. It looks like you might have to finally cough up for that tethering plan you've been desperately trying to avoid.
BlackBerry Bridge not available for PlayBook users on AT&T, unofficial workaround available
We're not sure why this was never mentioned before the BlackBerry Playbook launch, but it looks like AT&T customers opting for RIM's new tablet won't be able to take advantage of one key feature, at least officially. For reasons yet unknown, AT&T appears to be blocking folks from downloading BlackBerry Bridge to their BlackBerry smartphones, with the speculation being that it doesn't like the free tethering the Playbook enables. As the folks at CrackBerry have discovered, however, AT&T is only blocking the Bridge app, not the actual Bridge process -- which means you can still download the app though unofficial means and Bridge your AT&T BlackBerry to your Playbook. Here's hoping AT&T figures out a workaround of its own sooner rather than later. Update: We just heard back from AT&T, and it's looking like you'll need to have a bit of patience here as the kinks are worked out. Here's the direct quote from a company spokesperson: AT&T is working with RIM to make the BlackBerry Bridge app available for AT&T customers. We have just received the app for testing and before it's made available to AT&T customers we want to ensure it delivers a quality experience for our customers.
iPhone 4 Personal Hotspot put to the test
It's a good thing that I decided to sign up for AT&T's implementation of the iOS 4.3 Personal Hotspot feature while I was standing in line for my iPad 2 a couple of weeks ago. I'm accompanying my wife on a conference trip this week, using the time away from my consulting clients to get some serious writing done on a book update. As with many hotels that host conferences and conventions, this place charges for Wi-Fi in the room. That's not a problem during the fairly quiet morning hours when the bar area is empty, but once lunch rolls around and the afternoon partying starts, it's impossible to get any work done. To avoid paying the ridiculous $10.95 daily charge for in-room Wi-Fi, I decided to put Personal Hotspot to the test. The service, which requires a "tethering package" and a "personal hotspot package" from AT&T at a combined cost of $45 per month, was quite easy to set up. Blogger buddy Erica Sadun and I were in line at the Aspen Grove Apple Store on March 11 when I got disgusted with the flakiness of the Wi-Fi connection we (along with about 50 other people) were borrowing from the store. My iPhone 4 had been updated to iOS 4.3 a few days before, so I knew I had Personal Hotspot capabilities -- all I needed to do was call AT&T by dialing 611 on my phone. After a five-minute call, most of which was taken up with the service representative repeating that I was going to be paying an additional $45 a month, I was up and running.
O2 scraps mobile tethering surcharges, cheers up a whole United Kingdom
This is weird. UK carrier O2 has decided to do exactly what we've been asking mobile operators to do for donkeys' years -- it's going to allow users to chew through their data allowance in whatever fashion they like, without imposing artificial surcharges for tethering secondary devices to your phone. Up till now, you'd have had to swallow a salty £7.65 ($12.24) charge each month to get your tether on with O2, but for whatever reason, that has now been scrapped for subscribers on pay-monthly deals. Hit up the source link for a detailed list of O2's new contract options -- they don't include any unlimited 3G data plans, unfortunately, but we'll take what we can get for now. [Thanks, Neerav]
UK cell operator O2 changes tariffs, offers free tethering
Here in the UK, O2 was Apple's partner operator for several years, and it remains the default choice for a lot of us iPhone users. With the new emphasis on tethering in iOS 4.3 via Personal Hotspot, many of us O2 users (particularly those of us with Wi-Fi iPads) have been clamoring for better tethering plans (as Ben Sillis notes, O2 has recently fallen behind rival networks in terms of its value for money.) Today, O2 is announcing new tariffs (note that in UK jargon we say "tariff" instead of "plan") across the board, for both its subsidized handset contracts and its SIM-only deals. The full details are here, but the important details for iPhone owners are: Tethering is now completely free. If you have a 1 GB data allocation, then it doesn't matter if you use that data on the phone or on a connected device -- it's all charged the same. Data allocations are now tiered separately to your base plan. 100 MB of data is £3/month, 500 MB is £6 and 1 GB is £10. The basic 300 min voice / unlimited SMS / 500 MB tariff is £37 per month with an 18 month subsidized handset deal. If you commit to a 24 month contract, you can deduct £5 per month. This used to cost £30.64 per month (Google Cache of the old page). The same tariff structure on a 1-month-notice SIM-only deal is £21.50 per month (previously, this was £20.43). If you commit to a 12 month contract, you get twice as many voice minutes. Upgrading customers can now choose 12 month contract lengths, meaning you can get each new iPhone release when it comes out. Previously, most people were on 18 month contracts, which didn't sync up very well with annual iPhone refreshes. What do you think of the new plans, readers? Personally, I'm going to be calling them today to move my SIMplicity over to the new structure so that I can tether my iPad at will -- I might bump up to 1 GB per month of data, too. Thanks to Jonny Riches for sending this in.
AT&T tells customers using unauthorized tethering methods to pay up or stop (update)
Been using an app like MyWi to enable tethering on your jailbroken iPhone? Then there's a good chance you've already received a message like the one above from AT&T, or perhaps an email like the one after the break. By all accounts, the carrier is now cracking down on all unauthorized tethering, and it's asking folks engaged in such behavior to either pay up for a proper tethering plan or simply stop tethering altogether -- if it doesn't hear anything back for you after sending the message, AT&T says it will automatically enroll you in a DataPro 4GB tethering plan (at a rate of $45 a month). We should note that all the reports we've seen so far are from iPhone users, although that certainly doesn't mean Android users will simply be allowed to slip by unnoticed. Exactly how AT&T is identifying users isn't clear, however, and we could well just be seeing the beginning of a cat and mouse game as folks try to discover workarounds to go undetected. More on this one as we get it. Update: AT&T reached out to us and, yes, this is pretty much all there is to the tale: the "small number of smartphone customers who use their devices for tethering but aren't on our required tethering plan," are being contacted to either cease and desist or prepare to start paying for the service. No word yet on how many customers have been contacted, but it does seem that they're all using iPhones. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T aggressively moving against unauthorized tethering
AT&T is ruining a lot of people's days with a customer mailshot explaining that its "records show that you use [tethering] but are not subscribed to our tethering plan." iOS, of course, will disable the built-in tethering facility if you do not have an appropriate carrier plan. There are a few jailbreak apps, the most popular of which is MyWi (previous TUAW coverage), that bypass the plan check and enable tethering independently. When you run MyWi or similar apps, your iPhone creates a wireless hotspot that allows you to connect other devices without the explicit permission of your carrier. Until now, people have assumed that AT&T either doesn't care or cannot determine that the traffic comes from a connected device rather than the iPhone itself. Clearly, those assumptions are incorrect. OSXDaily.com has the full text of the letter. It goes on to state that users can either terminate their unauthorized tethering usage before March 27, or they will be automatically moved to AT&T's DataPro plan. DataPro includes tethering and doubles the data cap from 2 GB to 4 GB, but also costs an extra $20 per month compared to the normal smartphone data plan. Any customers on the grandfathered unlimited data plans from older iPhone plans would also lose that facility if they moved to DataPro. (Update: reworded this paragraph for clarity based on feedback from @GlennF and @Chartier; thanks guys!)
iPhone Personal Hotspot transmitting GPS information to tethered iPads? (Update: no)
You may not have known this, but besides missing a 3G radio, the WiFi-only iPad also lacks the A-GPS chip that enables exact GPS positioning versus less-accurate WiFi triangulation. Well, according to Tablet Monsters, if you've got an iPhone with iOS 4.3 and are subscribed to Personal Hotspot, your shiny slate should be able to tap into the GPS chip of it's smaller-screened family member. Reports in the MacRumors forums confirm that people are indeed seeing this added functionality on both iPad 2 and the original. Though the native Maps app is reportedly working perfectly there's talk of unfriendliness in turn-by-turn GPS apps -- though this could have to do with the refresh rate of the transmission. If you're already shelling out for the Personal Hotspot plan this is a nice added bonus, and makes the choice between the 3G iPad and the WiFi one just a little bit easier -- assuming you've got an iPhone of course. Still skeptical? Check out a video of it in action after the break. Update: Alas, JohnMarshall4 has done some myth busting, and it seems that this magical exchange of information is nothing more than a glorious miscommunication. So much for trying to save a quick buck.
Verizon offers unlimited LTE data plan for HTC Thunderbolt, don't expect it to stick around
Verizon execs have been clear as crystal that unlimited smartphone data will follow the dodo -- perhaps as soon as summer of this year -- but in the meanwhile you can drink your fill of the best as the HTC Thunderbolt will launch this Thursday with an unlimited LTE data plan. While we've no guarantees how long it will last, or whether you can grandfather the $30 monthly option into bigger and better devices down the road, it does open up a whole new avenue of opportunity for the Thunderbolt. Considering that Verizon's 4G USB modems top out at 10GB of LTE data for $80 a month, the HTC handset just became the most powerful, affordable MiFi you could possibly own. Assuming battery life is decent, of course. Find the full PR below.
iOS 4.3 spotlight: Personal Hotspot
Perhaps the biggest feature available in the iOS 4.3 update today is the Personal Hotspot -- Verizon iPhone users have had access to the feature before now, but as of iOS 4.3, AT&T users can find the hotspot feature under the Network tab, inside the General Settings app on the iPhone. Note that while Personal Hotspot makes it possible for you to share a network connection with a computer, either over Bluetooth, a USB connection, or now over Wi-Fi, there is an extra charge on AT&T, and your phone will ask you to sign up for that service if you haven't yet. AT&T calls the service DataPro with Tethering, and it will cost you an extra $45 a month, allowing up to 4 GB of bandwidth, and extra charges beyond that for more. That's not cheap, but if you are often in places where you have to depend on your phone for an internet connection, it could be worth it. To use the service itself, you just jump into that Settings screen, set up a password, and then connect from your computer as you would any other Wi-Fi network. The hotspot works with up to three connections via Wi-Fi at a time, so you and two friends can access the internet from anywhere, right through your iPhone.
TetherGPS brings GPS navigation to Nook Color, in a manner of speaking
The smart folks over at ComptonSoft are looking to provide a GPS receiver to your mobile device in a rather unconventional way. TetherGPS links up your Android phone's GPS to the Nook Color by means of WiFi -- either on the same network or via a WiFi tether -- because the Nook Color is lacking in the standard usable Bluetooth department. After connecting the two devices, it makes a second link by running a TGPS server on the phone and a TGPS client on the Nook. The two devices are then intertwined in a blissful, all-you-can-GPS buffet of routes and roads. For the most part, the Nook's location-aware Android applications, such as Google Maps, will draw from this connection for location data and use it as if there were a GPS receiver on board. TetherGPS is up for grabs for $2.99 on the Android Market, and there's also a free "Lite" version for those who only need GPS for five minutes at a time -- we'll assume you know who you are. [Thanks, Red]
iPhone 4 + Personal Hotspot + Wi-Fi-only iPad: Possible, but with drawbacks
Once Apple announced Personal Hotspot, the new iPhone 4-only feature, a lot of potential iPad buyers started asking the same question. "Can I use this feature with a Wi-Fi-only iPad and avoid paying extra for a 3G-enabled iPad, plus another monthly data plan for it?" Indeed you can. With Personal Hotspot activated on an iPhone 4, any Mac or iOS device will treat the iPhone 4's Wi-Fi broadcast like it's a standalone base station. This means if you have an iPhone 4 and a Wi-Fi-only iPad, you can "tether" your iPad to your iPhone's 3G data connection for the first time. "Awesome! So this means if I have an iPhone 4, there's no reason to get an iPad with built-in 3G, right?" Well, no, that's not necessarily true. I can think of three things you lose if you go Wi-Fi-only with your iPad and keep it tethered to your iPhone 4. 1. GPS. Only the 3G models of iPad have built-in GPS functionality. The Wi-Fi models can approximate your position using Wi-Fi, but it's almost never as accurate as with GPS. "Well, so what," you might say. "If I've got my iPhone right there, what do I need GPS on my iPad for?" That depends on how important GPS functions are to you. If you hardly ever use apps that depend on location-based services, you probably won't be missing out on much. If you're like me and you use location-based apps all the time, having to sacrifice GPS functionality on one of your iOS devices might be more trouble than it's worth. 2. Longevity, by which I mean the amount of time you can use the iPad in a single session. The 3G version of the iPad 2 is rated for nine hours of battery life when surfing over 3G. When using your iPhone 4 as a Personal Hotspot, you can expect the iPhone 4's battery to last for only about five hours before it needs to be charged. Granted, you can bring along the iPhone 4's charger, plug it in, and use Personal Hotspot as long as you like. However, the charger and cable are just two more things to carry, finding an unused outlet isn't always easy when you're on the go, and having your iPhone plugged into the wall quite literally tethers you to one spot. That leads into the third thing you give up if you go the Personal Hotspot + Wi-Fi iPad route... 3. Flexibility. If your iPad doesn't have its own 3G capability, it's totally dependent on your iPhone's Personal Hotspot unless you can find another Wi-Fi source. If your iPhone's battery dies, or if you forget your iPhone in a bar and some unscrupulous wag pockets it, your iPad loses all of the versatility it gained through Personal Hotspot. The iPhone's data plans aren't anywhere near as flexible as those on the iPad, either. For one thing, in most countries the iPhone is locked to whatever carrier you buy it from; the iPad has no carrier locks whatsoever, and you can roam between carriers (or between countries) at a whim. Not only that, in several countries (most notably the US) you'll pay an extra monthly fee to enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone 4. In the States this comes to $20 per month, which gives you an extra 2 GB of monthly data, for a total of 4 GB per month on your iPhone's plan. On a US iPad plan, you'll get 2 GB of data for $25. That's $5 per month more expensive than enabling Personal Hotspot on the iPhone, but you can manage the iPad's data plan on a month-to-month basis -- no contracts to sign, and no obligations to any carrier. Most carriers also offer cheaper iPad plans with lower monthly bandwidth caps, which should satisfy most users' data needs. Personally, I'm still getting a 3G-enabled iPad 2. I may never actually use its independent 3G capabilities since the iPhone 4's Personal Hotspot costs nothing extra through my wireless provider, but I'd rather know that I could use the iPad's own 3G if I needed to. Update: Many commenters have pointed out that Apple's Canadian website contains the following verbiage on the iPad 2's 3G capability, which at first glance seems to indicate the iPad 2 may be carrier-locked in Canada: If you decide on an iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, be sure to select the model that corresponds with the carrier you'd like to use for 3G service. The iPad model you purchase is specially configured to work with either Bell, Rogers, or Telus. So while you don't have to activate 3G service right away, you should choose your iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G according to the carrier you prefer. Website iPhoneinCanada has confirmed directly with Rogers itself that the iPad 2 will not be carrier-locked in Canada. And despite similar wording on the US Apple Store urging buyers to decide between an AT&T iPad or a Verizon model before purchasing, the situation for the iPad 2 in the US remains the same: the AT&T iPad 2 is not locked to AT&T. iPhoneinCanada verified this by calling Apple directly; I just got off the phone with AppleCare myself, and they confirmed that just like the original iPad, the iPad 2 will not be locked to any specific carrier. Therefore, if you're like me and you live in a country where the iPad 2 won't be released until after March 11, you can still order an AT&T model iPad 2 from the US site without fear of having to jailbreak the thing in order to use it in your home country. The AT&T versus Verizon iPad 2 situation is a matter of the hardware differences necessary to access the different networks, not a case of the iPad being artificially locked to one carrier or another. It's unclear why Apple chose to word things the way it did on its Canadian site (no other country's site contains similar wording), but the Canadian carriers themselves have stated the iPad 2 won't be carrier-locked.
AT&T Mobile Hotspot for iPhone 4 limited to just three WiFi devices (update: it's an iOS 4.3 thing)
Say it ain't so! According to this here slide, which details a bit of insidery AT&T information about the impending release of iOS 4.3, Ma Bell's iPhone 4 will have its Personal Hotspot restricted to use with just three devices. Just about every MiFi / mobile hotspot device we've ever seen -- including Verizon's iPhone 4 -- has supported five WiFi devices, but unless AT&T pulls a 180 here, it'll be limiting its iPhone to just three connections. What's wild is that we've found AT&T to actually have superior 3G speeds when you can actually get a signal (and thus, be more conducive to tethering five devices at once), and since you'd be on a data cap anyway, it's not like AT&T risks losing millions from five P2P servers being ran over one's iPhone. Granted, it's possible that some unicorn crafted this piece of paperwork to throw us all off, but we've reached out to AT&T and are awaiting comment. You know, just in case. Update: Based on Apple's iOS 4.3 page, only three WiFi devices are supported through the Personal Hotspot connection. If you'd like to tether five total devices, the other two will need to be over Bluetooth / USB. Don't go blaming AT&T here -- we're guessing Verizon's model will be set up the same way. Thanks, Christian! [Thanks, Anonymous]
iOS 4.3 brings a handful of new features and new headaches
iOS 4.3 doesn't bring nearly as many changes to the table as iOS 4.2 did last November. The release of iOS 4.2 was a watershed moment for the iPad, bringing features like multitasking and folders that made it a far more useful device than before. The iPhone got fewer new features in iOS 4.2, some of which have proven more useful than others; I use AirPlay almost every day to stream from my iPhone to my home theater system, but I used AirPrint once (after some hacking), then forgot about it. For the iPhone, iOS 4.3 brings even fewer marquee features to the device. Most of the big features you probably already know about, because Apple's described them. I'll walk you through those features now just to give you an idea of what you're in for when iOS 4.3 sees public release on March 11. Follow along onto the next page for a guided tour. Note 1: This guide is mostly iPhone-focused, since that's the device I own. With few exceptions, all of these features will be standard across the entire line of iOS devices, except... Note 2: If you have an iPhone older than the 3GS, or an iPod touch older than the third generation, read no farther, because the iOS 4.3 update won't be coming to your device. iOS 4.2 is apparently the end of the road for those older devices. Additionally, for some reason iOS 4.3 won't be immediately available for the Verizon iPhone, though some features like Personal Hotspot are already working on that model under iOS 4.2.6. Note 3: For anyone worried that this information is breaking NDA, bear in mind that I'm not a developer and not bound by any non-disclosure agreement. I come by my iOS Gold Master builds the old-fashioned way: on the Hong Kong black market.
AT&T to offer mobile hotspot on iPhone 4 starting March 11th, requires usual $45 data plan
Though it was kind of implied during the iPad 2 event yesterday when we learned that the GSM (that is, non-Verizon) version of the iPhone 4 would be getting iOS 4.3 with mobile hotspot capability on March 11th, we've doubly confirmed with AT&T today that the carrier will be offering the feature right out of the gate -- a departure from the tethering delay of days gone by. Naturally, you'll need the tethering feature added to your account, a $20 surcharge over the standard 2GB DataPro plan for a grand total of $45 with a 4GB bucket. Makes the extra coin a little easier to swallow over cabled and Bluetooth tethering alone, we suppose.
AP photographer uses MyWi to cover Bahrain protests
James Lawler Duggan, a photojournalist from Washington, D.C., used his jailbroken iPhone 3GS and MyWi 4.0 tethering software to transmit photos from Bahrain (warning: photos are graphic in nature). This week, police locked down the capital of this small Persian Gulf kingdom as demonstrators prepared to protest against the country's monarchy. After capturing several emotional photographs of the protests and violence, Duggan and his colleagues found the country's internet connectivity slowed to a halt. Duggan used his iPhone to overcome this obstacle and transmit his photos to the Associated Press wire in Cairo. "My jailbroken 3GS running MyWi 4.0 proved to be the only way for me to get the images to Cairo, and even still, the resolution had to be dropped significantly to squeeze them through the pipeline," Duggan told us via email. MyWi 4.0 from Intelliborn can transform any jailbroken iPhone or iPad into a mobile hotspot, allowing multiple laptops to connect to the internet through the device's 3G data service. It is available online for US$19.99. This week's events in Bahrain are the latest in a series of uprisings in the region. Duggan's ability to share images of the upheaval using his iPhone shows how technology has changed the way information is shared with the world.
iPhone 4 to get AT&T mobile hotspot capabilities on February 13th?
So you might have noticed a few reviews of Verizon's iPhone 4 crop up last night, nothing unusual about that, but a couple of its reviewers have had something to say about AT&T's version of the phone as well. Walt Mossberg and David Pogue (who has since stricken the date from his review) both pinpoint February 13th as the date when they expect AT&T to turn on the Personal Hotspot capability that Verizon's iPhone will have from launch. That's expected to happen with an update to iOS 4.3, which recently went out to developers in its third beta iteration, suggesting the software's nearly mature enough for public consumption and seemingly fitting right into this timeline. Mind you, this is still not concrete information, as Mossberg could conceivably have been talking of AT&T's Mobile Hotspot app which is launching on the same day on devices like the Inspire 4G, and Pogue could have deleted the date for similar reasons, but we're somehow disinclined to believe that two gentlemen in a position to have insider(ish) intel would both make such a mistake at the same time.
AT&T increases tethering plan by 2 GB, still charges way too much
In what can be interpreted as an attempt to stanch a possibly hemorrhagic flow of customers flocking to the Verizon iPhone, AT&T has added an extra 2 GB per month to its phone tethering plan for the same US$20/month rate as the previous plan, which came with no extra data at all. Note that AT&T's press release (and Engadget's coverage) doesn't specifically mention the iPhone getting access to this increased tethering cap, and the HTC Inspire 4G is getting first crack at the new plan starting February 13. However, if AT&T doesn't eventually give its iPhone customers the extra capacity in addition to its other smartphone customers, the company's frankly just shooting itself in the other foot -- its first foot's already been shot completely off by AT&T's notorious history with iPhone tethering. It still baffles me that US customers have to pay extra for tethering at all; data is data, regardless of how it's pulled down from the network. Here in New Zealand we're not exactly known for having generous cost per GB plans, but at least our carriers' attitudes toward tethering are more pragmatic; there's no extra charge for tethering your iPhone, and the carriers have all said, "If you're willing to pay for the data, then tether away to your heart's content." At least AT&T is finally adding some actual value to the tethering plan by including extra data, but it's still charging an awful lot of money for a service that other countries' carriers include for no charge.
